How to Create a Low-Maintenance Outside Area
Any outside space should be a sanctuary of calm. The last thing you want is to have to spend a fortune, and all your free time, trying to keep on top of it.
So, how do you turn an outside space into a manageable haven of happiness?
Here are our top tips on how to create a low-maintenance outside area.
Get rid of the cultivated plants
Think about a wildflower meadow. Not only is it beautiful, but it also requires no maintenance. Why not try to recreate the same look in your outside area?
Allow your lawn to grow out and buy wildflower seed bombs, which you simply break up and throw around your garden. Let them bed in and reap the rewards when summer comes.
Keep it uniform
Try to keep things uniform.
By this we don’t mean orderly. Rather, instead of having a multitude of plants that require different levels of maintenance, get rid of all but one or two varieties. This way, you can quickly and easily keep on top of them.
Replace the lawn
If you really want a low-maintenance outside area, remove the lawn altogether.
The time and effort you must put into maintaining it is better spent on other pursuits. Replace it with paving or gravel, set around raised beds.
The harder the landscape the easier to manage. You could consider building a deck, but this will require more maintenance than paving.
If you want to retain the green of a garden without the upkeep, there’s the synthetic grass alternative.
Install an outdoor tap
Installing an outdoor tap may sound like an odd inclusion, but not all homes have outdoor taps, meaning you have to run a hose pipe from your kitchen sink.
Save yourself time and hassle and install a tap, making watering a much easier chore.
Choose your plants wisely
If you want a manageable garden, don’t fill it with high maintenance flora. This means:
- No annual plants
- No vegetables
- No bedding plants
- Avoid sowing seeds
- Avoid any plants that require staking down to stop them from falling over
- Don’t plant anything that common critters like to nibble on, such as hostas
- Refrain from allowing climbers into your garden, as they require maintenance
- Stick with evergreen shrubs like holly or lavender
Make sure everything is long lasting
Avoid anything that requires regular upkeep. For example:
- If you stain or paint the fence, you will have to do it on a regular basis to maintain its look
- Softwood is not as durable as hardwood and will require more attention
- Avoid a water feature – as relaxing as they can be, they require regular maintenance to keep them running
Need some local help getting ideas and kicking things off for you? find a gardener here
Last Updated: November 1st, 2024
